Genesee Valley Chapter
Adirondack Mountain Club

June 13

ADK Outdoor Expo

   

Floyd   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   Carol   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   –   Sally

   

–   Steve   –

From chapter chair Dave Harrison:

I am pleased to report that Donna Dinse and Sherry Bennett have agreed to take over as co-leaders of next year's ADK-GVC Outdoor Expo. I'm sure you already know Donna, who was actively involved in this year's Expo and is a new Chapter Director. Many of you may not know Sherry, however, so I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce her to you.

Sherry has been a member of the Chapter for many years. As a matter of fact, for several years she was editor of the Geneseean. Although she has not been active in the Chapter in recent years, she wants to become active once again. Sherry contacted Barb to express her interest in taking a leadership role in Expo next year. I want to thank her for stepping up to help with this important program. I know that she and Donna will make an excellent team, and that with the help of a dedicated crew of volunteers, Expo will continue to be the successful event that it has become.

Barb, we will miss you! You have raised Expo to a level that few could have foreseen when the event was introduced several years ago. It has become our biggest annual event, and our most successful vehicle for introducing the community to GVC-ADK's programs and its values. I know I speak for the entire EC when I say that we will always be grateful for your outstanding service to the Chapter.

June 10

Looking back to the June 2009 Chapter Meeting
The following slate of candidates was approved at the June 10, 2009 meeting:

• Chair - Dave Harrison
• Vice Chair - Deni Charpentier
• Secretary - Bruce Tehan
• Treasurer - Bob Krenzer
• Director - Judy Immesoete
• Director - Tom Wallenhorst

Continuing in office are:

• Alternate Director - Shirley Thomas
• Alternate Director - Gail Soucy
• Alternate Director - Steve Tryon
• Alternate Director - Jackson Thomas

May 13

Looking back to the May 2009 Chapter Meeting
By Joanne Mitchell
For our May program Ken and Margaret Reek showed still photos and videos of their trip to Africa last year, when they visited Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana and Victoria Falls. They had amazing close-ups of lions, rhinos, hippos, giraffes, hyenas, antelopes, and a wide variety of birds. They had a video of a black heron hunting by spreading its wings to make a shady spot and then snatching the fish that came to enjoy the shade. One impressive photo showed a slightly blurred image of their van and then the camera pulled back to show that the van was a reflection in the eye of an antelope. They also discussed their accommodations and the food on their trip, and the options available, like hot air balloon rides and trip extensions.
Thank you, Ken and Margaret, for a superb program.

April 8

Looking back to the April 2009 Chapter Meeting
By Bill Schweinfurth
Ken Atlfather gave program that was both informative and entertaining. He started with a brief history of the origins of kayaking - first developed in the northern hemisphere by Inuit peoples as a madder of survival and the surfski was developed in the southern hemisphere in Australia for fitness and fun.
Ken continued on the theme of how events like the Open Water Challenge promote the benefits of paddling for fitness – it's challenging, physically demanding, motivational, and most of all fun. There are only about 50 people in the Rochester area who train for racing – a very small number compared to other countries who would love to have similar water resources at their back door. Ken reviewed highlights of last year's race as well as a preview into this year's June 27th race that will have both a 10 mile and 3 mile course.
Ken invited people to come out to Baycreek on Wednesday nights where they set up a 2 mile course and run individual time trials with the goal to have fun and introduce people to the sport. This is for paddlers of all abilities - boats (both canoes and kayaks) can be provided if you don't have one.

March 11

Looking back to the March 2009 Chapter Meeting

   

Jim and Carol May described their 2000 mile self-supported bicycle journey tracing one of the Underground Railroad routes from Mobile, Alabama to Owens Sound, Ontario last Spring. They talked about how their experience differed from the slaves who took that same route to freedom and how much easier it is for today's travelers to know the way and what is ahead for them. They also described how, as in the past, the kindness of many strangers (their modern-day conductors) helped them on their journey. Following an overview of their trip, the Mays showed us a slide show of their trip accompanied by songs that told the story of the underground railroad travelers.

Jim and Carol are writing a book about their trip which will be available at Lulu.com this summer. Currently available through Lulu.com is a book about their cross-country bicycle trip titled "Bicycle Odyssey: A Pilgrimage to Discover the Real America". They can also be contacted directly at c4js17@yahoo.com as they have some copies on hand.

At the beginning of the meeting, Chapter Chair Gary DeWitt thanked Joanne Mitchell for her many years of service as Geneseean editor. Joanne is stepping down after the June issue.

February 11

Looking back to the February 2009 Chapter Meeting

   

Mike Allen, Senior Wildlife Technician of the NYS DEC is a man who is passionate about his job. This was evident in his presentation on Wed eve highlighting New York State's Bald Eagle Restoration Project. This 33+ year project has reached the incredible goal of restoring the breeding population of eagles in NYS by importing young birds from other states and hand rearing them to independence and release. This process is known as hacking. Mike was joined by Paul Schnell, an educator from the Institute for Environmental Learning, and Liberty, a rescued, non-releasable, bald eagle. The moment Liberty was taken out of her hood the audience was entranced by her majestic presence. This amazing raptor was both gentle and intimidating.

January 14

Looking back to the January 2009 Chapter Meeting
By Shae Hanford
Most of us had some vague idea of how the more familiar physical features arrived on the NY landscape, without any real understanding of the overall forces or sequence of events. Tim McDonnell, (a geographer and board member of the NY Geographic Alliance who teaches at MCC and the OSHER Lifelong Institute for Learning at RIT), put the pieces altogether for us at the January program. He led us on a geological journey through time, compressing millions of years into a 1-hour program, aided with diagrams, maps, photos, and a good dose of humor. We saw the dynamic interplay of plate tectonics, the Ice Ages, and erosion over the ages producing the present day Adirondacks, Catskills, Finger Lakes, Lake Ontario, Genesee and Hudson Rivers, along with the countless eskers, drumlins, streams, and hanging waterfalls strewn across the State. We also learned why the Adirondacks are "new" old mountains, and they continue to get higher.
Tim pointed out how it was its u-NY-que geography which led to the State's economic and population boom. As the glaciers receded to the north in the waning days of the Ice Age, the northern glacial blockage caused NY's newly created glacial melt lakes to backup to the point where the force of their spillover waters, having nowhere else to go, blasted a water route E and S through the surrounding highlands, creating the Mohawk Valley and the Hudson River - the only opening through the unbroken chain of mountains along the East Coast; and hence, the only economically feasible route on the East Coast for a canal connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the "West", (ie., the Great Lakes).
From the applause Tim received at the conclusion of his presentation, and the questions swarming him before departing, I think it fair to say that it was a topic of genuine interest to the audience, and delivered in a remarkably informative, comprehensive, and fascinating way.

The proposed revision to the Articles of Association of the Genesee Valley Chapter were accepted by the membership at the January meeting. Read them here (400 kb pdf).

The Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK) is dedicated to the protection and responsible recreational use of the New York State Forest Preserve, and other parks, wild lands, and waters vital to our members and chapters. The Club, founded in 1922, is a member-directed organization committed to public service and stewardship. ADK employs a balanced approach to outdoor recreation, advocacy, environmental education, and natural resource conservation.

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